What would you say to a new nursing student?

[Anonymous2013]

So I have decided to do it. Im starting school in the spring. I want to be a nurse. Im going for my associates Degree. I am especially interested in Neonatal Nursing. I would really love to know what made you decide to become a nurse. What do you love about it? What do you hate about it? What are some things you wish someone would have told you about becoming a nurse.

My life has been on hold for the last 8 years. Im ready to be me again and be more than a wife and mother. I can't wait to get started. Im super excited, and so nervous! Thanks in advance for any input, or advice you may have, it is greatly appreciated.

[jaky_speaks]

My advice from a new lpn grad is don't stand out. If you have previous medical experience- forget it. Grades are subjective, clinically and in class. If they expect you to know a lot and you only know average, your grades may be lower than they should. Threat everyone in every setting like they know your instructors, you never know who is in the elevator with you or who is sitting next to you in the cafeteria. Good luck, and most importantly, smile.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Congrats on starting school soon. Advice I would offer a student is time management is a MUST. Keep a calender and write dates of dates, exams, and assignments due written in pencil. Do not count on anyone. I know people have study groups, and some of them do very well. However, try to comprehend the information for yourself, because sometimes, study groups get competitive. Don't go there to make friends.

Don't wear rose colored glasses; the real world versus school is two different things. Do what you have to do for the exams and NCLEX, but keep in mind that the real world does not allow for what they teach you in class, but you need the information for the tests, because that is what they want to hear.

Do try to apply yourself and enjoy your experience. It will be over before you know it! Good luck!!

[jaky_speaks]

OMG! Time management What I ended up having to do (because our instructors were notorious for giving us bad info) :

I took all of my class schedules, syllabus and "memos" and kept them in a seperate folder with a big empty month-to-a-page-calander in the brass brackets. I would combine the info from all my classes, clinicals and preclinicals and write them in different colors on the big calander. I then went back in and highlightes exams and "big deals", after that I wrote myself "mandatory" study times before the exams. (like the weekend/week before the exam. I'm a big procrastonator, so this helped a ton. Plus, our teachers were big sticklers about stupid stuff, like on this day bring "this", or on that day wear "this"... so i wrote it down and made everything ready for the next day the night before.

On a side note, I don't know if your school makes a big deal about your uniforms, but mine did. Given that half the time i was under-rested and malinformed, I kept a clean spare set of "whites" and a full professional outfit and lab coat in the trunk of my car just in case. I knew a few girls that showed up in the wrong thing or forgot their labcoats and they suffered severe consequences. (Two girls had to repeat semesters).

At the begining of the semester and I know it will probably add a lot (maybe a couple of hundred) get a second set of all your id's (school and state) made, get an extra pair of uniforms. PUT the extras in your car in a big zip lock bag and forget about them. The ID is so easy to forget. I forgot it once and realized that I left it in another purse. My husband had to miss work to bring it to me, and I almost was late to clinicals, which at the time ment that you were dropped from the entire course. After that I just threw it in the glove compartment of my car.

Back to the begining of school:

Take notes when they go over your syllabus. Take note of how many days you can be tardy, how many total hours you can miss, what exams count, what homework counts, what projects count. These things are all important when you have to choose between doing a really nice big project for pedi or studying for your pharm exam.

[remmy3]

you will be mentally stressed.

you will be emotionally challenged.

you will learn how to work together.

you will learn to work alone.

you will learn when to speak.

you will learn when to be silent.

you will learn when to lead.

you will learn when to follow.

you will be constructively criticized.

you will be praised.

you will shed a few tears.

you will share in each other's laughter.

you will learn the need to help eachother.

you will learn to help yourself.

you will learn to be part of a group.

you will learn to be yourself--an individual.

you will learn responsibility.

you will learn disipline.

you will learn these things because

someday someone's life will depend

on you.

you are a nursing student

you will graduate------

you will be,

in all it's wonder and glory,

a nurse.

author unknown

[YellowFinchFan]

RUN.

No, just kidding. I've been a nurse for over 10 years and in healthcare for 15. There are pros, there are cons. My advice-

Get good shoes. And be prepared to buy good shoes often.

Realize that sometimes nursing is hard. Physically, emotionally, and mentally. There will be days you go home and cry; there are days that you go home and feel inspired. Such is life.

Once a nurse, always a nurse. Very hard to turn that switch off.

Congratulations on a huge step. There are going to be times in nursing school that things seem irrelevant....and maybe that is so. Keep your eyes on the prize and avoid the politics. And remember to have a life outside of work! Best of luck to you!

Great advice...I agree with all you said!!!

[sidney82]

i wanted to do it just to interact with the real world and care for people and not just a company or money etc, when u strip the whole world back to its core all we have is the people that live in it, nothing else really matt...ers